This book is for the passengers and aviation buffs who use London’s main airports. It includes a brief history, plans and photographs for each of the five airports, together with directions and information about gates, security, passport control, shopping, restaurants, car parks and other transport connections. Details of Air Traffic Control in London airspace is explained with the inclusion of aerial photographs taken during approach to landing so passengers may locate places of interest whilst flying.

This book really does do exactly what it says on the cover and provides a huge amount of useful information for the enthusiast or anyone with a serious interest in London’s airports.
The book’s 138 pages includes chapters on each of the airports, plus sections on flying the 747-400, National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and an appendix providing a summary of airports. The latter is undoubtedly the most useful for passengers, since it provides information of travel links, car parking and other facilities.
…this book offers generally good value for money at just £9.99.

Aviation news, June 2012

This is an usual concept for a book but it works surprisingly well. Aimed just as much as the airline passenger as the aviation enthusiast it offers a brief history of London's five various airports as well as information about gates, security, passport control, shopping, restaurants, car parks and other transport connections.

Details of Air Traffic Control in London airspace are also explained and a short section reveals what it is like to fly modern airliners.

However, what this book offers that is really special is a tremendous collection of archive photographs. Whether it's a Court Line 1-11 at Luton, a BOAC DC-4 at Heathrow or a USAAF B-26 Marauder at Stansted there are delights in abundance.

Jets Monthly, June 2011

London is the biggest city in the United Kingdom and millions of people live, work, pass through and visit the capital every year, many of them using one of the five airports, which makes this book very useful as it can relate to so many people. Written by popular aviation author Martin Bowman and specialist London airport historian Graham Simons, this book with detailed photographs and information on gates, security, passport control, shopping, restaurants and car parks is a must have guide to regular and first time users of London airports, to make the usually stressful airport experience as smooth and as easy as possible. Also included are interesting facts and figures along with interesting information about the history of each airport.

Kate (Customer Review)

About Martin Bowman

Martin Bowman is one of Britain’s foremost aviation historians and has written many books and articles.

He lives in Norwich.

About Graham Simons

English professional aviation writer, publisher and historian Graham M Simons is one of the founders of the world famous aviation museum at Duxford near Cambridge where his interest was piqued watching the making of the ‘Battle of Britain’ film there in the late 1960’s and from the days when you could go ‘aircraft spotting’ at London Heathrow and other airports.

From this, and with an engineering background, he progressed to membership of a number of aviation societies, including sitting on the British Aviation Preservation Council, eventually taking the position of Engineering Director with one group. Here he was responsible for overseeing the restoration of a De Havilland DH89 Dragon Rapide airliner to flying condition and placing this aircraft - with official approval — in the colours and markings of the first aircraft of what was then the Kings Flight. It was during this period that he was contacted by Ian Allen Ltd to write the first ever history of this classic De Havilland type.

Other titles rapidly followed and with a growing number of contacts in both the military and airliners, Graham turned professional in 1987, combining his love of writing with his skills in production to create and publish aviation histories focussed on a variety of subjects.

He is the author of Howard Hughes and the Spruce Goose, Comet! The World’s First Jet Airliner, The Airbus A380: A History, and De Havilland Enterprises: A History, amongst many others published by Pen and Sword Books.

Offical Opening of Gatwick Airport

9th June 1958

Queen Elizabeth II flew into the new airport in a de Havilland Heron of the Queen's Flight to perform the opening. The first "official" flight to depart Gatwick following the opening ceremony was a BEA DC-3 operating a charterfor Surrey County Council to Jersey and Guernsey.